Hello, My name is Brianna and I am from a small town in Missouri. I am currently in the ASN program here at SBU in my third semester. After I graduate in April I will take the NCLEX and be a Registered Nurse. What kind of nurse do I want to be? I want to be a Neonatal Nurse at the hospital that I work at. Its always been my dream to be a NICU nurse and take care of little humans. A couple weeks ago I got to shadow up there for the first time and it was amazing! I got to feed, change, and hold babies while also learning from the nurse. The nurse taught me how to give medication, feed the baby, and take vital signs. I also observed how she was interacting with the family and took some tips from there. After working up in the NICU with my RN degree I am still planning on furthering my education. While I am working I will also have more school online. I plan on getting my BSN, MSN, and eventually going to NP school. As an Nurse Practioner I still plan on working in the NICU at the hopsital I am at. It does seem like a lot of schooling and money but I know it will all be worth it. I know that with hard work anything is possible. As for now I am currently working at my hospital as a Nurse Tech, a postition for nursing students that are planning on getting there RN. I get to put in and take out folleys/IV's, do some wound care, transfer/reposition the patients, help feed the patients, do blood sugar checks, vital signs, and much more. I am always following around the nurses to see if they need any help or if they can teach me a thing or two so I can become the best nurse for my patients. I know through my career I can save many lives through medicine, conversation, kindness, and compassion. At the beggining of the day I always see the patients as family. I always go above and beyond to make their day a little brighter. if that is getting them fresh water, a warm blanket, or even someone to talk to. I feel like being a good nurse is important for patient care. They are here to get better, and we are here to make a difference. The main reason why I choose nursing as a career all started when I heard a story from my mom. My mom had my bother, sister, and I (triplets). We were born and sent to the NICU for complications. My mother was so worried when she heard the bad news that her babies probably were not going to make it. The doctors gave us a 40% chance of living. Devestated, my mother stayed by our sides through it all. We fought for our lives each day. The doctors and the nurses did everthing they could to keep us alive. With their hard work each day we got a little bit stronger. Eventually we got to go home healthy babies. After hearing this story of how we almost lost our lives, I wanted to follow the nurses and the doctors who fought for us. This is why I work hard everyday for my dream career. A Neonatal nurse practioner.

Hello, My name is Brianna and I am from a small town in Missouri. I am currently in the ASN program here at SBU in my third semester. After I graduate in April I will take the NCLEX and be a Registered Nurse. What kind of nurse do I want to be? I want to be a Neonatal Nurse at the hospital that I work at. Its always been my dream to be a NICU nurse and take care of little humans. A couple weeks ago I got to shadow up there for the first time and it was amazing! I got to feed, change, and hold babies while also learning from the nurse. The nurse taught me how to give medication, feed the baby, and take vital signs. I also observed how she was interacting with the family and took some tips from there. After working up in the NICU with my RN degree I am still planning on furthering my education. While I am working I will also have more school online. I plan on getting my BSN, MSN, and eventually going to NP school. As an Nurse Practioner I still plan on working in the NICU at the hopsital I am at. It does seem like a lot of schooling and money but I know it will all be worth it. I know that with hard work anything is possible. As for now I am currently working at my hospital as a Nurse Tech, a postition for nursing students that are planning on getting there RN. I get to put in and take out folleys/IV's, do some wound care, transfer/reposition the patients, help feed the patients, do blood sugar checks, vital signs, and much more. I am always following around the nurses to see if they need any help or if they can teach me a thing or two so I can become the best nurse for my patients. I know through my career I can save many lives through medicine, conversation, kindness, and compassion. At the beggining of the day I always see the patients as family. I always go above and beyond to make their day a little brighter. if that is getting them fresh water, a warm blanket, or even someone to talk to. I feel like being a good nurse is important for patient care. They are here to get better, and we are here to make a difference.

Hello, My name is Brianna and I am from a small town in Missouri. I am currently in the ASN program here at SBU in my third semester. After I graduate in April I will take the NCLEX and be a Registered Nurse. What kind of nurse do I want to be? I want to be a Neonatal Nurse at the hospital that I work at. Its always been my dream to be a NICU nurse and take care of little humans. A couple weeks ago I got to shadow up there for the first time and it was amazing! I got to feed, change, and hold babies while also learning from the nurse. The nurse taught me how to give medication, feed the baby, and take vital signs. I also observed how she was interacting with the family and took some tips from there. After working up in the NICU with my RN degree I am still planning on furthering my education. While I am working I will also have more school online. I plan on getting my BSN, MSN, and eventually going to NP school. As an Nurse Practioner I still plan on working in the NICU at the hopsital I am at. It does seem like a lot of schooling and money but I know it will all be worth it. I know that with hard work anything is possible. As for now I am currently working at my hospital as a Nurse Tech, a postition for nursing students that are planning on getting there RN. I get to put in and take out folleys/IV's, do some wound care, transfer/reposition the patients, help feed the patients, do blood sugar checks, vital signs, and much more. I am always following around the nurses to see if they need any help or if they can teach me a thing or two so I can become the best nurse for my patients. I know through my career I can save many lives through medicine, conversation, kindness, and compassion. At the beggining of the day I always see the patients as family. I always go above and beyond to make their day a little brighter. if that is getting them fresh water, a warm blanket, or even someone to talk to. I feel like being a good nurse is important for patient care. They are here to get better, and we are here to make a difference.

Brianna Griffith December 29, 2022 Nursing Shortage Around The World Nurses are an essential component of the health workforce. The shortage of nurses is becoming a global issue and needs to be addressed. They do more than care for the ill and injured, they are an educator, advocate, and even counselors. The nursing shortage is expected to increase as baby boomers age and the need for healthcare increases as well as nurses retire. The HHS study projected that the demand for registered nurses would hit more than 3.6 million by the year 2030 (Julia Haines, 2022). The shortage will lead to an increase in medical mistakes, a decrease in quality care for patients, an increase in errors, high patient-to-nurse ratios, nursing burnout, a higher chance of infection in patients, an increase in patient falls or even an increase in death. While working in many different hospitals I have noticed that the nurses are struggling to provide good quality care for every one of their patients. This is causing sterile fields to be crossed, more errors made, negative attitudes, and much more. Not only is the nursing shortage affecting patients, but also the health of the nurses. The nursing shortage and an increase in workload for nurses are physically and mentally affecting their health leading to further complications like depression and stress or even burnout. This social issue is so important to address for the safety and care of our loved ones including the health of the nurses in the workforce. The first step in addressing the nurse shortage is to listen to the nurse's concerns. I wrote down specific things that need to be worked on for the safety of the nurses and our patients. The biggest thing is the nurse-to-patient ratio. After figuring out what the main problem was with research and my studies, I took action by spreading my experience of working in the healthcare field. I stated how there are so many career pathways, job opportunities, competitive salaries, and most importantly making a positive impact in your community by helping others around you. The next step of my goal is to create a fundraiser to raise money for students who are interested in becoming nurses. This will help them financially finish school and achieve their dreams of becoming a nurse and helping the nurse shortage. I plan on continuing to support the nursing shortage in many different ways and encourage others to do the same. By coming up with a goal and a plan you can accomplish anything you put your mind to and it might just do something big to benefit the community.

This poem is about my sweet and happy golden retriever that loves food. Ever since he was a pup he has always tried to steal off my plate. I remember a time when I had made a good meal one evening. It was steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans. I had set my plate on the table and heard the doorbell ring. I answered the door and as soon as I came back my dog had eaten my steak. ): "The Happy and Sweet Dog" Whose dog is that? I think I know. Its owner is quite grumpy though. Her dog is happy and sweet, Always keeping her on her feet Her dog jumps up for her steak, And eats until his belly aches. The woman gets up from her chair because the dog did not share The dog jumps up for her cake the dog ate all he could take, Time for a nap for the happy dog he is as stuffed as a hog He rises from his gentle bed, With thoughts of food in his head, He eats jam and lots of bread. Ready for the day ahead.

High school was around the time I developed depression. I would often sit by myself at lunch and avoid talking to others in the class. It was a scary time in my life, especially since my parents got a divorce and my mother took my twin sister. My twin brother and I stayed with our stepfather. All I could think about was how my mother and sister were doing and if I was ever going to see them again. I knew that something in my heart had to change to let go of the things that were lost. I decided to join in on sports, basketball and volleyball. This was the time when I felt more comfortable and loved. The team felt like family, and it reminded me of when I still had my mother and sister. Often the coach would ask who would like to volunteer to do a specific task. For example, he would ask who would like to demonstrate to the team how to do a lay-up. I would always raise my hand when asked who would like to volunteer, but why would I always volunteer? Volunteering became a big thing for me when I developed depression. It pushed me to get out of my comfort zone while the sports challenged me to never give up. It was a good combination to conquer my fears and build myself up from the hole that I kept digging for myself. From there volunteering was part of my everyday life. It helped me become the person I am today. I still get depressed sometimes but, I have found that when I volunteer it makes me happier. Since I have volunteered It has opened new doors for me. One of those doors is nursing school and developing a passion to become a Neonatal Nurse Practioner. Currently, I am in my second semester in the RN program. After graduating from my program I will get my ASN and from there I will need to get my BSN, master's, and finally my NP. I feel like this scholarship will allow me to further my education in achieving my dream. Being a Nurse Practioner and providing care for my patients will fill my heart with joy. To be a helping hand. To e there for someone who is struggling. To be an advocate for my patients. A promise that I will always keep true to myself. Volunteer no matter how small it is because it can change, a heart, a goal, and a "life".

It all started when I decided to try something new with my twin sister at a community college. We both decided to try nursing since we both have a passion to help others around us for a special reason. My twin sister and I also have a twin brother. The three of us were all born triplets, in the NICU. We had a small chance of making it once we were born due to complications at birth. We were all so grateful for the healthcare workers who took care of us and gave of an opportunity to live. This is the reason why I have decided on the career path of being a "Neonatal Nurse Practioner". I have always had a passion for caring for infants. I want to work in the NICU to help other babies that are in the same position that the three of us were in. To give them a chance to experience the wonderful things in life. Some goal I have when I become a Neonatal Nurse Practioner is to provide a safe and comfortable environment for my patients and that includes their family as well. I also plan on giving high-quality care to my patients so they can go home happy and healthy. Throughout my educational journey, I have had hardships financially and mentally growing up. When I was five my mother and father got a divorce. As a result, we came from a poor household growing up. I can't imagine how difficult it is to be a mother raising three children by herself. Her main focus was providing food on the table and keeping a roof over our heads. She never got an opportunity to go back to school to pursue her dreams of becoming a nurse. In high school, they had a program where we could choose any class at the community college to take. This is where my sister and I decided to choose to nurse, and after we graduated high school we walked out with our CNA license and also a scholarship for the A+ program. From there I wanted to get my associate's degree (a 2-year degree) which my A+ would pay for. After two years I graduated with an associate's degree in science. I used this as a foundation for what I was going to do. My goal is to keep moving forward in my education to make my mom proud. All she has ever wanted for me was for me to achieve my goal of pursuing my career. With the cost of living and the expenses of college, I have struggled to keep moving forward financially and towards my goal of becoming a Neonatal Nurse Practioner. I feel like this will impact my career because after I get there I will be in so much debt that my main focus will be working hard to pay off student loans instead of enjoying my job.

The song that has the most important message for me is called "I'm so blessed" by CAIN. This is a Christian song that I listen to on my hour car drive to nursing school every day. It reminds me of how blessed I am to live my life and follow my dreams. My dream is to become a Neonatal Nurse Practioner. The message it gives is how blessed every individual is. It reminds me that God is in control and that anything is possible through him. The song states on the worst days we are a child of God and on the best days, we are a child of God. This song keeps me motivated, hopeful and positive. Especially, through the struggle of how hard nursing school can be sometimes. So if there is a song that has the most important message to me it would be "I'm so blessed", because I am.

My dream was to always become a "Neonatal Nurse Practitioner". I was born a triplet in the NICU. We all had complications from prematurity, a hole in the heart, and a condition called Gastroschisis. We had a 50% chance of living. I remember my mother telling me how scared she was about losing us. Especially having us so early with all the complications that we had. The nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors and other healthcare workers worked together to get us back to good health so we would be able to experience a life given. Finally, there was good news, that the three of us were going to be okay. We were all so blessed to have a wonderful team of healthcare workers. They all worked so hard so that we could all go home healthy and happy babies. The ones who saved us and helped us after birth allowed us to live. To become the people we are today. After hearing about this story it inspired me to become an NP for neonatal babies. To help others have an opportunity to enjoy life. To get to my goal I plan on finishing my ASN and furthering my education with a BSN while working as an RN in the NICU. After I receive my BSN I will further my education to obtain a master's degree to prepare myself to become an NP. Finally, I will apply to get my NP and specialize as a Neonatal NP. As a Nurse Practitioner, I will always be greatful to have the opportunity to help others around me. I will always think back to the day I first started and how far I have come. I have always had a passion for nursing. For years, I have worked in the healthcare field. As soon as I graduated high school with my CNA license I decided to work at a nursing home. After working at the nursing home for a couple of years I then decided to work at the hospital. I have always enjoyed healthcare because It makes me happy knowing that I have helped or made someone happy every day. Every day I am closer and closer to my goal of becoming a Neonatal Nurse Practioner. I hope to one day positively change many lives and help others around me. I have always wanted to pursue a fulfilling career and I believe nursing is one of them. I will be fulfilled knowing that I am doing something great.